The Babysitter Conundrum

I debate with myself all the time what type of babysitter would be right for my 6 month old; an eager novice or a seasoned grandma type? The way I see it, there are pros & cons to each.
Some teenagers LOVE babies & your baby might get more play time with a younger sitter. On the other hand, a grandma might be the perfect calming influence on your babe. Young teens can’t drive & that worries me in an emergency situation- some grandmas can drive but maybe… shouldn’t. Teenagers may be more willing to babysit late into the night, after grandmas want to be in bed. I’ve found that young teens are often more eager to please and grandmas like to do things their way. My friend has told me (horror) stories of her husband’s 79 year old grandma watching her toddler & refusing to use a car seat because she didn’t see the point. Scary. She also wouldn’t use baby wipes when changing her (used damp toilet paper instead) and tried to mix sugar into every food. Her kid survived and has a sweet, special bond with her great grandma. I think ideally we’d all love to have a 20 or 30 something mom type on retainer for our baby sitting needs but most are usually tied up with their own family or work obligations- and do they really want to work for $7 an hour? What is your babysitting solution?

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